Should I go to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo or University of California Santa Barbara? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal Poly or UCSB is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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UCSD Caltech UCI UCSC UC Davis San Diego State UCLA UW-Seattle UC Berkeley California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona USCCalifornia Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo | University of California Santa Barbara | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Barbara, CA | ||
Setting | Small Suburban | Midsize Suburban | ||
Enrollment | 22,000 | 26,420 | ||
Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
National Ranking | #155 | #109 | ||
Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
Website | calpoly.edu | ucsb.edu | ||
Team Colors |
Costs |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $11,564 | ||
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Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $41,636 | ||
Room & Board | $16,449 | $16,883 | ||
Avg Net Price | $19,184 | $16,874 | ||
Avg Grant Aid | $10,065 | $20,389 | ||
% Receiving Grant Aid | 42% | 53% |
Admission |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
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Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
Applied | 58,774 | 110,995 | ||
Admitted | 17,885 | 28,688 | ||
Acceptance Rate | 30.4% | 25.8% | ||
Enrolled % | 28.6% | 17.3% | ||
Avg High School GPA | 4.0 | 3.82 | ||
Typical High School Grades | A/A+ | A- | ||
Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
Applicant Competition | High | High | ||
ACT Range | 26/32 | 28/34 | ||
SAT Range | 1220/1410 | 1230/1460 | ||
Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2024 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
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Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 17:1 | ||
Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
Graduation Rate | 75% | 80% | ||
Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $69,400 | $59,000 | ||
Making Student Loan Payments | 85% | 73% | ||
Median Student Loan Debt | $18,666 | $16,451 | ||
Median Loan Payment | $193 | $170 |
Diversity |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
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% Men | 51% | 45% | ||
% Women | 49% | 55% | ||
Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
HBCU | No | No | ||
% White | 57% | 35% | ||
% Black | 1% | 2% | ||
% Hispanic | 16% | 26% | ||
% Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
% Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
% Two or More Races | 7% | 8% | ||
% International | 2% | 7% | ||
% Unknown Race | 5% | 3% |
Students |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
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% In-State | 83% | 78% | ||
% Out-of-State | 16% | 10% | ||
Campus |
Cal Poly | UCSB | ||
Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
Learn More | Details | Details |
Which college is more expensive, Cal Poly or UCSB?
Which college is harder to get into, Cal Poly or UCSB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSB or Cal Poly .
Which is better, Cal Poly or UCSB? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UCSB and Cal Poly.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/